Bajaj Auto-Volkswagen dispute

The week started with the clash of claims between Bajaj Auto and Volkswagen. The Euro NCAP released crash results done on heavy quadricycles. This also included the Bajaj Qute. While the highest points were awarded to the Chatenet CH30, the other quadricycles which include the Bajaj Qute earned just one star. Bajaj Auto released an official statement mentioning the Qute has scored higher than the zero-star rating achieved by the Volkswagen Polo and is the safest in its category. Volkswagen made a counter claim, stating that since January 2014, the Polo has been awarded a four-star Euro NCAP rating, ever since dual front airbags became standard safety equipment. Read about it here

Swift achieves 5 million cumulative sales worldwide

India's most loved hatch, the Maruti Suzuki Swift achieved a significant milestone by hitting a record of five million cumulative sales worldwide in April 2016. Launched in 2005, the Maruti Suzuki Swift is presently in its second generation. It is sold in more than 140 countries and manufactured in seven of them. India is the biggest market considering that it contributes 54 per cent of all global sales. It also amounts to 30 percent of Maruti Suzuki's annual sales in India. Read about it here.

One-off 6.36 metre Audi A8 Extended

Giving in to a request from a 'special' customer, Audi has designed a special one-off version of the A8L. The luxury limousine in its standard from measures 5265mm in length while the A8 Extended is 6360mm, longer by 1095mm. The wheelbase has been stretched from 3122mm to 4220mm, more by 1098mm. The extra space in the stretch limousine has been occupied by an additional row of seats. All three rows face forward. Powered by Audi's 3.0-litre TFSI motor producing 310PS and 440Nm of torque, the A8 Extended claims a 0-100kmph time of 7.1 seconds. The top speed has been limited to 250kmph. Get all the details here

Bajaj and KTM extend their operations to Indonesia

Bajaj Auto announced its plans to collaborate with KTM and sell the Duke and RC series of bikes in Indonesia. As part of the agreement, KTM will be offering their Duke and RC models up to a displacement of 400cc which are manufactured by the Austrian-Indian joint venture. The bikes are to be distributed from KTM showrooms managed by Bajaj. This was done so that the existing KTM partner could shift focus to larger bikes such as the Super Duke 1290 R, Adventure 1190 R, and the Enduro 690 R. Read about it here

Datsun redi-GO showcased

Datsun revealed the production version of the redi-GO hatchback. Based on the Renault-Nissan's CMF-A platform, the Datsun redi-GO uses an 800cc petrol motor, similar to the one used in the Kwid, mated to a five speed manual transmission. First shown in concept form at the 2014 Auto Expo, the Datsun redi-GO will be officially launched on June 1, 2016 and will go on sale through the alliance's 200+ dealership network. Get all the details here.

Yamaha launched an all-new commuter - the Saluto RX - at Rs 46,400 ex-Delhi. The Saluto RX is aimed at the rural youth of India. The 'RX' in the model name has been derived from popular Yamaha RX motorcycles which were discontinued in the late 2000's. The Saluto RX gets an all-new 2-valve, 110cc, 4-stroke, single cylinder motor that makes 7.5PS of power and 8.5Nm of torque. This is mated to a 4-speed gearbox. Yamaha hopes that the Saluto RX will sell around 60,000 units a year and will contribute to around seven per cent of their overall sales. Get all the details here.

Luxury car brand Aston Martin launched the 2016 Rapide at Rs 3.29 crore in India. The newest Rapide now gets a redesigned radiator grille which is longer and larger than the previous model and a headlamp design that has been tweaked and feature DRLs. Powering the Rapide is a 6-litre, AM29, V12 engine that makes 510PS of power and can sprint from 0-100kmph in 4.6 seconds. The Rapide can reach a max speed of 326kmph. The engine features two ECUs, each of which monitor six engine cylinders. Read details here.

The Suzuki Gixxer range got an important update in the form of a rear disc brake. The company also introduced new two-tone body graphics on both the Gixxer and the Gixxer SF. The price of the updated Gixxer is Rs 79,726 while that of the Gixxer SF is Rs 87,343. The MotoGP themed bike can be yours for Rs 88,857 (all ex-Delhi). Suzuki India launched the updated motorcycles on the occassion of 'Gixxer Day' which saw international freestyle rider Aras Gibieza perform at the North Campus of Delhi University. Get details here

Odd-Even enters second phase

The odd-even rule entered its second phase in India. According to this rule, cars with even registration numbers are allowed to ply on the even days while the odd-numbered cars can be driven only on odd days. The new phase will again be implemented for 15 days from April 15-30, 2016. Single-woman driven cars, hybrid/electric cars, two-wheelers and VIPs will be exempted from the second phase just like last time. Read details here.

Petrol and Diesel prices dropped

The petrol prices have been reduced by Rs 0.74 per litre while diesel prices have been slashed by Rs 1.30 per litre. The new prices were brought into effect from April 15, 2016. The update in the fuel prices come following the fluctuation in international prices of petrol and diesel along with the INR-USD exchange rate. Details here

Indian Motorcycle launched the 2016 Springfield at Rs 30.6 lakh in India. The Indian Springfield looks similar to the Chief family, but is based on a new chassis that is capable of carrying heavier loads. The Springfield can carry a total of 242 kgs which includes the rider, pillion and luggage. Indian Motorcycle has started taking bookings for the Springfield and will commence deliveries from August 2016. The Springfield will be available in two colour options. Get all details here.